Gabor Kali was been chosen as this year’s winner of the Nestle and Salzburg Festival’s Young Conductor award.

Of the decision process, chairman of the jury, Dennis Russell Davies, said, “After three exciting concerts with the Camerata Salzburg and an intense discussion among the jury, we have chosen Gábor Káli as the prize winner. We are confident he will enjoy an important career.”

This is the ninth year the award has been given to a young conductor of great promise. Out of 90 applicants, one is chosen to receive a cash prize of 15,000 Euros, as well as the right to conduct a festival concert next year at the Felsenreitschule theatre in Salzburg.

“I am overjoyed to have received this prize,” says Kali, who comes from Hungary. “It was a wonderful feeling for me to experience this fantastic Festival with a concert of my own. I would also like to thank the Camerata Salzburg, the jury, and the wonderful audience.”

Past winners of the award include conductors such as Kerem Hasan, Aziz Shokhakimov, Lorenzo Viotti, Maxime Pascal, Ben Gernon, Mirga Grazintye, Ainars Rubikis, and David Afkham.

On Kali’s award, Paul Bulcke, president of Nestle’s board of directors, says: “With the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award, we support young conductors by providing an extraordinary platform. I congratulate this year’s winner, Gábor Káli, for his outstanding achievement, and wish him every success in the future. May this award provide significant advancement for his career.”